Liberatores

The Liberatores were a group of republican senators who conspired to stop Julius Caesar from becoming emperor in 44 BC by assassinating him. Led by men such as Cicero, Marcus Junius Brutus, and Gaius Cassius Longinus, the Liberatores were successful in assassinating him on 15 March 44 BC. The assassins were granted amnesty by Mark Antony the next day, as Antony understood their reasons for the murder, and he respected them. However, at Caesar's funeral, Antony's speech inadvertently led to the people of Rome and Caesar's former soldiers rising up against the Liberatores, and the Liberatores would soon become enemies with Antony. Antony failed to defeat the Liberatores at the Battle of Mutina, but he later allied with his bitter rival Octavian to crush the Liberatores as they aimed to rid Rome of Caesar's henchmen. In the decisive Battle of Philippi, the Liberatores were crushed, with Brutus and Cassius committing suicide. Cicero was executed by Antony, and almost all of the conspirators were either executed, assassinated, or committed suicide.